Members of the Wild Red Flame Mardi Gras Indians in New Orleans, Louisiana
© Chris Graythen/Getty Image
Celebrating Mardi Gras. Stompin’ with the Big Chief
Today’s photo shows Mardi Gras Indians parading at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which generally happens in April or May. But the big day for all the Mardi Gras Indians is today, Fat Tuesday itself. Members of the various ‘tribes’ of Mardi Gras Indians in New Orleans are African Americans who wear costumes influenced by Native American ceremonial apparel. It’s considered a show of respect to the Indian tribes who, for centuries, took in slaves fleeing bondage in Louisiana. The origins of the tradition are unclear, but Mardi Gras Indians have been performing on the streets of New Orleans since at least the 1880s.
Typically, tribes are secretive about their parade routes, and some tribes determine their routes at the last minute, when the Big Chief of a given tribe decides which where to go and which other tribes to engage with - and which to spurn. But a few tribes do publicise their performances in the weeks and days leading up to Mardi Gras.
Related Images
The National Wallace Monument overlooking Stirling in Scotland
A carving of artist W.O.J. Nieuwenkamp in the Pura Meduwe Karang temple in Bali, Indonesia
Mars Express image of the icy cap at Mars’ south pole
Blue walls of Chefchaouen, Morocco
A model walks the runway during the Camilla show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, 2018 in Sydney, Australia
Alpine eucalypt bark in Tasmania
Wildflowers in bloom at Lost Dutchman State Park in Arizona
Street art from the Pasadena Chalk Festival 2013, Pasadena, California
Bing Today Images
